Missouri & Illinois Tomatoes Recalled Due to Major Health Risk

There are few things as enjoyable as fresh tomatoes for many, but a new bulletin warns that there could be danger in some widely available in Missouri and Illinois that's just been discovered.

My dad used to love tomatoes. He found excuses to include them in just about every recipe he and my mother attempted. That's one reason why a new bulletin from the Food and Drug Administration caught my eye today. They warn that tomatoes that were shipped to both Missouri and Illinois are believed to have a contamination of Salmonella. That's why Ray & Mascari Inc. of Indianapolis, Indiana, is recalling 4 Count Vine Ripe Tomatoes which have a label that looks like this.

The numbers to look for on the packages are UPC# 7 96553 20062 1, and a master case label with Lot# RM250424 15250B or Lot# RM250427 15250B.

These tomatoes were available at Gordon Food Service Stores in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Wisconsin.

Why is Salmonella contamination so serious?

Salmonella can be a non-serious illness for those who are healthy. It's the extremely young, old and/or those with weakened immune systems where Salmonella can become a critical and sometimes even fatal illness. If these tomatoes were to end up in a kitchen at a school or senior care facility, that's when an issue like this can become tragic. If you find that you have these recalled tomatoes, do NOT consume them. Either discard them or return them to the Missouri or Illinois store you bought them from.